[Javascript] Maxlength on textarea in XHTML

[Charles Stuart]

Hello All,

I need to set a maxlength on all of the textarea's on a site. I am 
using XHTML 1.0 transitional. I've tried without success to implement 
Peter-Paul Koch's code located here:
http://www.alistapart.com/authors/peterpaulkoch/

My needs are simpler than what is presented on A List Apart. The 
maxlength will always be the same value. And, don't mind having
	onkeypress="checkLength()"
in the XHTML.

So far I have this:

var x = document.getElementsByTagName('textarea');
for (var i=0;i<x.length;i++)
{
	x[i].onkeypress = checkLength(x);
}

function checkLength()
{
  var howMany = document.getElementsByTagName('textarea');
  var max = 30;

  if (howMany.length > max)
   {
   	window.alert("You can only type 30 characters");
   }	
}


My second attempt was this:


function checkLength()
{
	event = window.event;
	element = event.srcElement;
	var howMany = document.forms[0].element.length;

	if (howMany.length > 30)
{
	window.alert("You can only type 300 characters");
}
}



Thank you for any help. Let me know if I should put an example up.



best,

Charles